


You Light Me Up (like the fireworks flying on the fourth of July)

by maybe_we_were



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Beach House, Birthday, Celebrations, Cold, F/M, Fireworks, Fourth of July, Gen, POV Natasha Romanov, Post-Avengers (2012), Romantic Friendship, Touchy-Feely
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-12-04 18:59:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11561340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maybe_we_were/pseuds/maybe_we_were
Summary: The gang heads to the beach to celebrate Steve's birthday.  Steve isn't the only one who gets a surprise.Set Post-Avengers and Pre-CA:WS.





	You Light Me Up (like the fireworks flying on the fourth of July)

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all!! I'm so sorry I've been away so long. I hope your summer is going well (for those in the Northern Hemisphere). :) This new fic is a little bit out there, but I had a lot of fun writing it. Unfortunately, it would only fit in realistically after the first Avengers movie and we would have to disregard the rest of the movies, but I think it could work! I really hope you enjoy. <3

Going to the beach for Steve’s birthday was an excellent idea.  Their vacation didn’t start with that idea in mind, but due to the time of their trip, it seemed like the perfect time to celebrate.  It had been a while since the team had been together, so when Fury suggested they take some time off together, excluding Thor (who they couldn’t reach), Steve was the first one to suggest renting a house somewhere.  Tony jumped on the idea and found them a rental that would more than suit their needs.

The beach house they are in is gorgeous and very spacious, with five bedrooms and a fully equipped kitchen.   The large living room that has windows that look out on the water is a bonus.  There’s an outdoor sitting area, complete with cushioned seats and a fire pit.  Pepper made sure the fridge would be stocked and lines like beach towels and sheets were already taken care of.

The group spends most of their first day there, the fourth of July, out in the sun, splashing around in the water or playing volleyball.  Now, as dinner is wrapping up, Pepper rounds the kitchen island with a large cake.  It has a single candle on top that is already lit, some of the wax rolling down the side of it. 

Steve takes notice of what’s going to happen.

“Pepper, that’s so thoughtful, but you didn’t have to do anything.  Just hanging out with everyone has been nice.  Besides, my birthday isn’t a big deal,” Steve says.

“Steve!  Of course it’s a big deal!  We all wanted to celebrate with you,” Pepper chides.

On cue, she starts singing, as the rest of the group joins in.  Natasha watches as Steve blushes, his eyes focused on the cake in front of him.

“Well,” Pepper prompts after they finish the last verse, “make a wish.”

Steve hesitates for a moment and his eyes glance up to meet hers before blowing out the candle. 

“Spangles, what did you wish for?  Anything good?  Hopefully not something cliché like world peace, right?” Tony asks.

Bruce raises an eyebrow at Tony’s question.  “He’s not supposed to tell you or it won’t come true,” he reprimands.  Steve shoots him a thankful look, clearly uncomfortable with sharing whatever he did wish for.

Tony lets out a sound of exasperation, but drops his questioning.

Before long, they have cut up and eaten the cake.  Clint had volunteered to go out and start the bonfire, claiming that his background with the farm gave him an upper hand, while the rest of the crew grabs sweatshirts and blankets.  Natasha decides to forego getting anything, and takes a couple of extra moments to go walk along the beach.  She slips off her sandals when she gets closer to the water, letting the sand squish beneath her bare feet.   It’s chilly, but the breeze feels wonderful, pushing through her hair. 

She can’t help but reflect on their vacation so far.  She’s really enjoyed seeing everyone again.  She sees Clint and Steve on a regular basis, but most of the time, it’s for work.  Bruce and Tony normally work together on the tech side of things, so she hadn’t seen much of them.  She’s happy Pepper came along, too.  She likes how she keeps Tony in check.  It’s also nice to not be the only female on their trip. 

“Nat,” she hears Clint call.

Looking back towards the house, she can see him motioning for her to come back.  Taking a deep breath of salty ocean air, she wanders back to the sitting area, where most of the group has settled in.  Tony and Pepper are on one of the love seats that is perpendicular to the house, and Clint is sitting opposite of them. Deciding she would like to see the beach, she picks the seat that has her back to the house.

Moments after she sits down, the couch dips and there’s Steve, holding a blanket and a sweatshirt.  He doesn’t seem fazed by the drop in temperature, though she notices he changed into a long sleeved t-shirt.

She _is_ fazed by the shift in temperature, even with the warmth coming from the fire in front of them.  It warms the front of her body, but the rest of her body is cold.  She feels goosebumps pop up on her arms right before Steve presses the sweatshirt he had into her hands. 

“Here.  I thought you might need it,” he explains, shifting so that she has room to pull it over her head and not accidentally elbow him. 

Natasha isn’t used to someone being so thoughtful and observant.  Taking her time, she slips the burgundy quarter zip sweater on.  The fabric is soft, suggesting that Steve’s worn it often, and she can smell a hint of the cologne he uses right near the collar.  The sweater dwarfs her, which oddly enough reminds her that Steve is a strong, capable man.  And she’s a woman.

Turning to face him, she watches as the light from the fire illuminates half of his face.  His eyes are soft, with and without the flicker of the flames. 

“Thank you,” she says, feeling the need to say something.

He nods, giving her a quick smile, before turning his attention to the rest of the team.  They have about an hour until the fireworks are supposed to start, which gives them plenty of time to roast marshmallows and chat.  At some point, the temperature drops even more, and Natasha starts to get cold again.  Her shorts only reach her upper thighs, leaving skin exposed.  Checking the time on her phone, she sees that the fireworks should go off in about five minutes.  Maybe she would have enough time to run in and change clothes?  But if they start early, she doesn’t want to miss them.

As she’s debating what to do, she feels Steve move to her left, producing the blanket he had earlier.  Reaching over her legs, he first drapes it over her lap before covering his with the rest of the blanket. 

He scoots a bit closer so the blanket comfortably covers both of them, close enough that their thighs are touching.  His khaki shorts are long enough that there’s no skin to skin contact- that is, until Steve’s arm moves under the blanket, too.  It starts out tentative, with his arm resting along her leg, until his hand covers the kneecap on her left leg. He starts to rub slow circles on her knee with his thumb, and the feeling on his skin brushing hers sends feelings of pleasure to places further north on her body.

She’s _never_ felt like this before.  And if just his hands on her skin can do this, what would it be like to have other parts of their skin touch?

His hand moves ever so slightly and the movement involuntarily makes her breath hitch.  Glancing around, it appears the rest of the team has no clue what is happening, all of them focused on what each other is saying.

She looks at Steve last, turning to find him already looking back at her.  She waits expectantly for him to say something.  When he doesn’t, Natasha isn’t sure what to say either.  Normally, she’s not at a loss for words, but this isn’t a normal situation.

There’s a part of her that whispers, “Don’t go there.”  It surprises her, but there’s also a part of her that wants more, and it’s currently outweighing the first part.  Judging by the way Steve’s eyes flicker down to her lips, he could be feeling the same way. 

“Do you want to know what I wished for?” he asks, his voice husky. 

He leans a bit closer and-

_Bang!_

The loud sound of the fireworks startles them both as they turn their head in the direction of the noise.  Natasha watches as the next firework trails up into the sky before exploding into a red shower of light.  She never gets tired of seeing them and she’s so glad they took the time to relax and enjoy it.  Still, there were other matters at hand before they started.

Taking her eyes off the spectacular view in front of her, she leans over and places a quick kiss on Steve’s cheek.  She’s not sure where this is headed, but she’s excited to find out.

“Happy birthday, Steve,” she murmurs, placing her hand on top of his. 


End file.
